Devices designed for the same purpose are known. Those devices comprise a chassis mountable on the floor, a pair of lateral arms connected to the chassis, a footrest situated at one end portion of the chassis, and, a seat that can be displaced axially along the chassis. The arrangement is such that the user may rest his body on said seat, support his feet on the footrest, and use his hands to move the levers in a rowing motion. The levers act against adjustable brake devices which control the amount of physical effort required to carry out that exercise.
Basic problems presented by the conventional exercise machines reside in their functional limitations on one hand, and, their large size on the other. The latter problem is of considerable importance when the machine is designed for home use, and must be stored after use.
Known exercise machines employ adjustable brake mechanisms, hydraulic or pneumatic cylinders, or mechanical springs, which are connected between the movable levers and the frame and define two lateral triangles. Those triangles must be laterally separated, all of these structural features contributing to the large size of the exercise machine.
These structural characteristics not only lead to the above mentioned problems, but also establish functional limitations on the machine. The degree to which the arms can be oscillated determines a first limitation. A second limitation is determined by the angle through which the arms can be moved. These limitations determine the maximum degree of oscillation of said arms.
Furthermore, said brake devices, due to their disposition at an exterior of said exercise machine not only increase the dimensions of the machine, but also prevent use of the machine for certain type of physical exercises.
Another problem relates to the bands used for fastening the user's feet to the foot rest. Said bands resemble bridges in some cases fixed in length, or, in other cases adjustable by means of lateral buckles rendering the use thereof difficult.
Another problem is the lack of flexibility in adjusting the distance between the arms and the footrest.
Other gymnastic devices include an accessory ortogonally couplable to one end of the frame in order to permit vertical positioning thereof. This enables the user to practice a number of physical exercises. However, the said accessory increases the size and complexity of the machine, and makes the finished product expensive and difficult to store.
The exercise machine proposed by the present invention overcomes these problems in a satisfactory manner.